Welcome to My Life
by Ciara1
Summary: It's an H/A deal, set in their sophomore year of high school. I don't want to give it away...Someone knows Helga's secret, will they tell? *And I just posted chapter three, if anyone cares*
1. Epilogue: Lurking in the shadows

Epilogue  


Epilogue

  


Lurking in the Shadows

  
  
  


Summer of 2003 (so they just got out of sixth grade)

  
  


I watched from the shadows in the alley as Helga turned the corner and ran, yet again, into Arnold. I listened to her shocked and flustered tone, which quickly reverted back to her harsh, annoyed one to keep up her bully image.

  


"A-arnold?! I mean...watch where you're going, football-head!"

  


"Sorry, Helga," Arnold said, apologizing yet again, probably out of habit by this point.

  


I knew that at any second, Helga would tiptoe around the corner, to the very alley I was in, and pull out the locket with the picture of her football-headed lovegod. Sure enough, I saw her sneak in, looking around to make sure she had not been noticed. She took the locket out of her dress and stared down at it, professing her love to Arnold.

  


You'd think she would know by now that I would always be there. I would always be lurking in the shadows, listening to every word she said about him. I knew the whole bully act was just that - an act. She had a very dysfunctional life, and she didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her - so she acted tough, but inside, she was just as soft-hearted and breakable as anyone.

  
But anyway, back to that sunny summer afternoon. I decided I had heard enough, so I came out of the shadows, wheezing as usual. She didn't say anything, she didn't even turn around, and I knew what was coming. The last thing I remember was Helga's arm coming straight back towards my face, and wondering how many pairs of glasses I had gone through in the past two weeks.  
  


(In case you're a little slow...well, really slow, that was from Brainy's point of view.)


	2. Chapter one: Trig homework

Trig homework  


Chapter OnE: Trig homework

  


Fall, 2006

  
  
  


I slammed the door shut and started walking upstairs to my room. I had just gotten home from the drama club, and it had given me a headache just being there. I planned to finish my Trig homework, then go straight to bed.

"Is that you, Olga?"

"It's Helga, Bob!" I yelled to my dad, stopping momentarily on my ascent to see what he wanted.

"Yeah, whatever. You got a phone call, from that kid, what's his name, Alfred?"

"Arnold, dad."

"Yeah, that's what I said."

I shook my head and kept walking. It was amazing how, after knowing Arnold for almost my whole life, my dad still called him Alfred. Well, not really, he still called _me_ Olga.

I went into my room, closed the door, and picked up the phone to call Arnold. I had barely put the receiver to my ear when there was a knock at my door.

"What!?" I yelled, turning the phone off. No answer. I sighed heavily and pulled the door open. My mom was standing there, her hair tousled, glasses crooked, with a smoothie in her hands. "What, Mom?"

"Oh, Helga, dear, have you seen my glasses?" she asked drowsily.

Welcome to my life. "You're wearing them, Mirium," I told her, rolling my eyes in the process. She reached up and sure enough, wonder of wonders, her glasses were right where they should be. "I think you need some new ones," I commented.

"Yeah..." she walked away, mumbling something about needing another drink.

I just shook my head again and closed by bedroom door. I opened my backpack to start my Trig homework when I remembered that I needed to call Arnold.

_'Arnold,'_ I thought, dialing his number. I wasn't really sure what he was to me anymore. After seventh grade started, there was so much more going on that I sort of lost track of my feelings for him. I wasn't really sure if they were still there, either.

"Hello?" That was his grandma.

"Is Arnold there?" I asked, as clearly as I could. I always tried to, ever since that whole incident with the laughing gas. Not a good memory.

"Yes, who's this?" she asked. I heard her call for Arnold in the background.

"This is-"

"Hello?" Never mind.

"Hi Arnold, it's Helga," I said.

"Oh hey, how's it going?" he asked cheerfully.

I decided it would be better to lie than tell him life sucked. "Okay, how are you?"

"Pretty good," he answered.

Silence.

"So," we both said at the same time, then laughed. "Did you call earlier or..." I asked.

"Oh...yeah, I did. I just...had a question about the trig homework...but I called Pheobe and she helped me, so don't worry about it."

"It doesn't matter anyway, I haven't even started it yet."

"Oh...well, you can call me if you don't understand," he offered. I was about to respond, when he added, "well, I mean you don't have to. It would probably be better for you if you asked Pheobe, I mean she is your best friend right? Just thought I'd offer, but never mind."

"Arnold, calm down. If I need help, I'll ask _you_, okay?"

"Okay, cool," he replied.

There was silence for a few seconds. "I should go, I still have that trig homework to do," I told him. I was wishing I hadn't gone to the drama club meeting, because then I would have had the homework done, and we could have talked more. Not that it mattered, because we didn't have anything to talk about anyway.

"Oh, okay. So I'll see you tomorrow then, I guess." He almost sounded reluctant to go? Nah, it was just my imagination.

"Okay, see ya."

  
  
  


well, that's all for now, hope you like it, and there will be more soon.


	3. Chapter two: Transportation

Welcome to My Life  


Wow, it's been awhile, huh? Well, sorry to those of you who might actually like the story, I'll just post this just in case anyone does...This really isn't my fave chapter, at least not the beginning, I just don't like the way it's written, but whatever. Just a forewarning. And just one more thing: you'll notice as the story progresses that the POV changes frequently. 

  
  
  


Chapter Two: Transportation

  


Fall of 2006

  
  


I hung up the phone and lay down on my bed, staring up at the coming rain clouds. Anyone could tell there was about to be a huge storm. I thought about the conversation I had just had with Helga. Why had I lied to her? Why couldn't I tell her that I just called to talk, instead of making up some lame excuse about Trig homework? 'She'll probably think I'm dumb now,' I thought to myself, 'that assignment was easier than some of the harder ones from Algebra.'

  


It got me thinking about how much Helga had changed since we started Junior High. It seemed like something had changed in her. She was a lot nicer and sweeter; of course, she still had a little bit of her old attitude, but she wouldn't be Helga without that. She was friendlier now, and I liked it.

  
  


I woke up really early the next morning, almost an hour earlier than usual. I walked down the stairs and started to make breakfast for myself, hoping I could make it to school a little early that day. I finished my cereal, then took a shower and finished getting ready. By the time I was done, I was almost forty-five minutes ahead of schedule.

  


I went out the door and got into grandpa's Packard that he still hadn't gotten rid of. I had recently gotten my license, and had been driving myself to school for about 4 months. What I really couldn't wait for was a new car.

  
As I was driving by Helga's house, which was on the way to our high school, I saw the door open. I slowed down and stopped in front of her house. I heard her yell something to someone in the house, but I couldn't understand what she was saying because I was too far away. Then she turned and saw my car there. At first she looked shocked, which I guess makes sense because I'm not usually just sitting there in Grandpa's green Packard, staring at her at 6:35 in the morning. She walked up to the car as she was buttoning her raincoat.  


"What's your deal, football-head?" she asked.

  


"Good morning to you, too," I responded.

  


"Sorry, my alarm clock didn't go off this morning for some reason, and I'm late as it is, so if you need something-"

  


"Do you want a ride?" I offered.

  
"What?" she looked genuinely surprised.  


"Do want a ride, to school, in my car?" I asked, a little sarcasm setting in for some reason.

  


"Um...okay, sure," she consented, opening the passenger side door and getting in.

  


As soon as she closed the door, I put the car back into 'drive' and we were on our way. "So this is late for you?" I asked.

  


"Yeah, it is, and I take it it's early for you?" she answered.

  


I nodded. "Why do you leave so early?" I asked her.

  


"Its called transportation, football-head: I have none, except for these two legs here. And it takes a considerably longer time to walk than it does to drive."

  


"Oh," was all I could manage after her little speech.

  


There was silence for a while, then Helga broke it. "So, why are you going to school so early?"

  


"No reason," I shrugged. "I just woke up earlier than I normally do, so I just figured I'd get to school early too." I looked at Helga at the end of my sentence, and she nodded.

  


I checked my watch, and saw that we still had a half-hour before school started. I debated with myself for a while, then finally gave in to the better half. "Do you wanna stop and get some coffee or something before we go to school? We have plenty of time for it."

  


"Yeah, coffee sounds good, especially since I feel like I just woke up two minutes ago. Oh, wait a minute, I did wake up two minutes ago." I glanced over at Helga and smiled.

  


A block and a half later, we were sitting at a small table in Starbucks, waiting for our coffees to cool down so we could drink them.

  


"Why did you give me a ride this morning?" Helga asked, bringing her cup up to her mouth, then taking a small sip after speaking.

  


I was silent for a few seconds, and I just looked at her with a face that probably had "what on earth possessed you to ask such a crazy question?" written all over it. "Because I wanted to," I finally answered.

  


She raised an eyebrow. "I figured as much. But why?"

  


"I don't know," I answered, a little defensively. "I was just being nice. Can't I be nice when I want to, Helga?"

  


"Jeez, Arnold, chill. Forget I asked."

  


I stared at her for a minute, then looked back down to my coffee cup.

  


Why had I acted like that? Like I was trying to hide something about my reasons for giving Helga a ride to school. Why _did_ I give her a ride? Why did I call her last night, and then lie about my reasons?

  


I glanced up at Helga, who was spacing out on something past my left shoulder outside. I just stared at her, until she shifted her gaze to me. I looked away quickly and blushed. 'Why am I blushing? So I was looking at Helga, big deal.'

  


"You okay?"

  


I looked up, a little startled. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."

  
  


That's all for now. Hopefully, I won't be too lazy or too busy (??) with school coming up to post some more soon. I already have about 4 more chapters written, I just need a *reason* to post them...


	4. Dissect Arnold...I mean, a fetal pig.

Welcome to My Life  
  


Chapter 3:Dissect Arnold...I mean, a fetal pig

  


Fall, 2006

  
  


"Thanks for the ride, Arnold," I said as he pulled into a parking spot.

  


"Sure," he replied.

  


He had been acting weird all morning, or at least I thought so. He offered me a ride to school and bought me a coffee, very random acts of kindness. He was being really friendly, when all of a sudden his mood just completely changed. He barely talked at all after we went into the coffee shop, and I wondered why but didn't say anything about it.

  


"Okay, well..." I started getting out of the car, while Arnold just stared down at the steering wheel. "I'm gonna go to class now. You probably should too..." When I still got no response from him, I closed the door and started walking into the school.

  


"Helga!" I turned around, and saw Arnold a few feet away from me. "Do you think...would you want to come to school with me from now on? I mean, so you wouldn't have to wake up so early." He stood there, waiting for me to answer him.

  


I thought about it for a second, then shook my head slowly. "It's out of the way for you-"

  


"No, it's not. I drive by your house every morning on my way to school. All I have to do is stop, its not that hard." He smiled at me, then looked down at the ground.

  


"Well, if you're okay with it, then so am I," I answered. "Thanks, Arnold."

  


He looked back up at me and smiled again. "Come on, let's go to class now before we're late," he said, stepping around me and holding the door open.

  


I stared at him dumbly for a minute, then shook my head, almost to clear it. I walked past him and sighed deeply. It was at that exact moment that I knew...I had never stopped loving Arnold.

  
  


I spent my whole first class anxiously awaiting the next one - biology, one of three classes I had with Arnold. Ever since my recent discovery...well, I couldn't really call it that. Actually, I couldn't really say that at all. I had known all along that I still loved him, I had just tried to ignore it. Which, I guess, sort of helped me to make friends and stuff, but whatever. Now, I was floating on Cloud Nine, like I used to in elementary school. I walked to my locker, moved some stuff around, and went to biology. Now that I thought about it, biology was probably my favorite class that year, because Arnold was my lab partner. So anyway, I waltzed into the classroom and sat down, just waiting for Arnold to walk in.

  


The door opened.

  


I looked up hopefully, but was disappointed to see Brainy enter the room.

  


Brainy...I hadn't talked to him in awhile. Actually, I never talked to him, really. Let's put it this way - I haven't punched him in awhile, and I mean that in the best way possible.

  


"Hey," I greeted as he walked by.

  


He stopped in his tracks and stared at me, then said "hey" really quietly.

  


"How have you been?" I asked him.

  


"Okay," he answered, "you?"

  


"Same..." I told him. At that second Arnold walked into the room. "Things are looking up," I said, trying not to let on the reason why.

  


Brainy looked at me, then at Arnold, then back at me and smiled. "See you around, Helga."

  


I smiled back at him, and he walked away just as Arnold took his seat next to me. "Hey," he said, sounding a little out of breath.

  


"Hey," I replied, looking at him questioningly. He noticed, and said, "I just came from P.E. We had to run two miles today."

  


"Oh," I answered, trying not to sound like I was hanging on his every word.

  


But then Mr. Turner started talking about our next lab project, and I needed to focus.

  


Turns out it was one of those labs where, ya know, you think it's at the end of the week or something but it's not - it's today. So I was stuck hanging on Arnold's every word for the entire class period while we dissected a fetal pig. And I mean, come on, it can't get any more romantic than that, baby.


	5. Dissect Arnold...I mean, a fetal pig.

Welcome to My Life  
  


Chapter 3:Dissect Arnold...I mean, a fetal pig

  


Fall, 2006

  
  


"Thanks for the ride, Arnold," I said as he pulled into a parking spot.

  


"Sure," he replied.

  


He had been acting weird all morning, or at least I thought so. He offered me a ride to school and bought me a coffee, very random acts of kindness. He was being really friendly, when all of a sudden his mood just completely changed. He barely talked at all after we went into the coffee shop, and I wondered why but didn't say anything about it.

  


"Okay, well..." I started getting out of the car, while Arnold just stared down at the steering wheel. "I'm gonna go to class now. You probably should too..." When I still got no response from him, I closed the door and started walking into the school.

  


"Helga!" I turned around, and saw Arnold a few feet away from me. "Do you think...would you want to come to school with me from now on? I mean, so you wouldn't have to wake up so early." He stood there, waiting for me to answer him.

  


I thought about it for a second, then shook my head slowly. "It's out of the way for you-"

  


"No, it's not. I drive by your house every morning on my way to school. All I have to do is stop, its not that hard." He smiled at me, then looked down at the ground.

  


"Well, if you're okay with it, then so am I," I answered. "Thanks, Arnold."

  


He looked back up at me and smiled again. "Come on, let's go to class now before we're late," he said, stepping around me and holding the door open.

  


I stared at him dumbly for a minute, then shook my head, almost to clear it. I walked past him and sighed deeply. It was at that exact moment that I knew...I had never stopped loving Arnold.

  
  


I spent my whole first class anxiously awaiting the next one - biology, one of three classes I had with Arnold. Ever since my recent discovery...well, I couldn't really call it that. Actually, I couldn't really say that at all. I had known all along that I still loved him, I had just tried to ignore it. Which, I guess, sort of helped me to make friends and stuff, but whatever. Now, I was floating on Cloud Nine, like I used to in elementary school. I walked to my locker, moved some stuff around, and went to biology. Now that I thought about it, biology was probably my favorite class that year, because Arnold was my lab partner. So anyway, I waltzed into the classroom and sat down, just waiting for Arnold to walk in.

  


The door opened.

  


I looked up hopefully, but was disappointed to see Brainy enter the room.

  


Brainy...I hadn't talked to him in awhile. Actually, I never talked to him, really. Let's put it this way - I haven't punched him in awhile, and I mean that in the best way possible.

  


"Hey," I greeted as he walked by.

  


He stopped in his tracks and stared at me, then said "hey" really quietly.

  


"How have you been?" I asked him.

  


"Okay," he answered, "you?"

  


"Same..." I told him. At that second Arnold walked into the room. "Things are looking up," I said, trying not to let on the reason why.

  


Brainy looked at me, then at Arnold, then back at me and smiled. "See you around, Helga."

  


I smiled back at him, and he walked away just as Arnold took his seat next to me. "Hey," he said, sounding a little out of breath.

  


"Hey," I replied, looking at him questioningly. He noticed, and said, "I just came from P.E. We had to run two miles today."

  


"Oh," I answered, trying not to sound like I was hanging on his every word.

  


But then Mr. Turner started talking about our next lab project, and I needed to focus.

  


Turns out it was one of those labs where, ya know, you think it's at the end of the week or something but it's not - it's today. So I was stuck hanging on Arnold's every word for the entire class period while we dissected a fetal pig. And I mean, come on, it can't get any more romantic than that, baby.


End file.
